Latest news

Welcome to the latest edition of Ufi's Community Newsletter.

This week's newsletter includes:

⭐ Less than a week to go until the VocTech Activate grant fund closes for applications;

📣 NCFE announce Window 6 of their Assessment Innovation Fund, supported by Ufi;

📅 Last chance to make your Festival of Learning 2024 nomination;

🎧 An insightful podcast episode from AmplifyFE; and more...

VocTech Activate:
What have organisations gone on to do with Ufi funding?

There's still time to apply for our VocTech Activate grant fund which closes on 31 January. While you're completing your application, take a look at organisations already using Ufi grant funding to improve skills for work and get adults learning.

St Mungo's is a leading homelessness charity and received funding from Ufi in 2021 to help empower people recovering from homelessness through a programme of online learning.  

ANAGRAM create award-winning interactive storytelling and immersive experience design. Ufi partially supported ANAGRAM's project in 2022 which uses the immersive potential of Virtual Reality to provide carers with insight into the experience of people with mental health problems.

Re-watch:
VocTech Activate pre-application workshop 

If you missed the chance to join the Ufi team at one of our pre-applications workshops, don't worry. You can watch a recording of the presentation given by Jane Holmes, Head of Grant Programmes. 

The presentation introduces the VocTech Activate grant fund and will help you decide if the grant fund is right for your project. If you weren't able to attend a workshop and have any questions about your application, please email the Ufi team at info@ufi.co.uk. 

Funding alert:
NCFE announce Assessment Innovation Fund Window 6

Our strategic partners at the NCFE are opening Window 6 of the Assessment Innovation Fund, supported by Ufi, on 12th February. 

The jointly supported fund focuses on assessment within vocational education, encouraging the development of learner-centric and adaptable assessment solutions. Two organisations will be awarded up to £150,000 funding each for large-scale impact projects lasting between 18 and 24 months. 

Use NCFE's Eligibility Checker to find out if the Assessment Innovation Fund could be right for your idea or project. NCFE are also holding two pre-application workshops where you can ask any questions you have about the fund. 

Congratulations: 
Maths Kitchen win Bett award

A huge congratulations to Ufi-supported Maths Kitchen FE for winning the prestigious "Ahead by Bett" Award this week. 

The Bett Awards celebrated the creativity and innovation of technology for education on Wednesday evening. Maths Kitchen FE is a web-based platform for functional skills Maths teachers and learners. 

Ufi supported Maths Kitchen FE in 2021 as part of the VocTech Challenge: Levelling up learning. Find out more about their VocTech project here.

Last chance:
Make your Festival of Learning 2024 nominations

Just over a week to go until nominations close for the Ufi-supported 'Learning with Technology' Award at this year's Festival of Learning. 

Nominations close 2 February for your chance to celebrate the people using technology to get adults learning. Our strategic partners at Learning and Work Institute (L&W) are running the awards which recognise the best in adult learning and the wide-ranging benefits of learning on individuals, families, communities and employers. 

In case you missed:
Springpod announce partnership with UCAS

Ufi Ventures portfolio company, Springpod, have partnered with UCAS to give students the opportunity to virtually explore the world of work and university. 

The agreement due to go live in spring 2024 will enable those with an account on the UCAS Hub to explore, interact with and sample subjects, courses and work experience online for the first time before they apply. The partnership allows both organisations to bolster their joint mission to support student's in explore their future options. 

Follow the link below to find out what student will have virtual access to and hear from Sam Hyams, Springpod Founder and Chief Executive.

Re-cap: 
Ufi Ventures at Bett 2024

Helen Gironi, Director of Ufi Ventures, spoke on the European Investment Landscape panel at Bett 2024. 

Led by Supercharger Ventures, the panel discussed VC industry trends and provided valuable insights to startups looking to raise capital. Helen was joined on the panel by  Marie-Christine Levet, Co-Founder and Partner of Educapital, Colin Brown, Entrepreneur Coach and Angel Investor, Tamas Haiman, Co-founder of SuperCharger Ventures. 

Listen: 
The Power of Twitter Chats

Our Strategic Partners at the Association for Learning Technology (ALT) released a new episode of their AmplifyFE Community Space podcast. 

In the latest episode of AmplifyFE Community Space, podcast host Chloë Hynes speaks with Jason Boucher, Co-Founder of #revEdlution, about the impact and value of Twitter/X chats for practitioners in FE. The pair also discuss what the future may look like for FE practitioners using the social media platform. 

Led by ALT and funded by Ufi, AmplifyFE connects thousands of professionals in Further Education and Vocational Education to share, collaborate and learn.

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